Replacement Asus Router advice

[JamesK]

Hi All,

A friend of mine wants to replace his broken RT-N66U router. Since buying it he's now got a couple of AC devices so his preference would be for an AC router, so I immediately thought he should get the RT-AC68U. However, prices here in the UK are still very high for the RT-AC68U. I started having a look at other routers and the prices are:
RT-AC68U - £170
RT-AC66U - £160
RT-N66U - £118
RT-AC56U - £100

It's the price of the RT-AC56U which got my attention. I'm really surprised to see that it's cheaper than even the RT-N66U. Looking at the specs it seems it shares a lot of the internals of the top-end AC68, the only difference being the internal antennas.

I think it's worth him getting the RT-AC56U as his AC laptop doesn't have a card which can make the most of the 3x3 antennas in the AC68, and he'll save quite a bit of money.

He lives in an average size 3 bedroom home, so I don't know if he'll see a drop-off in range compared to the RT-N66U.

Thoughts/suggestions?

 

[stevech]

Hi All,

A friend of mine wants to replace his broken RT-N66U router. Since buying it he's now got a couple of AC devices so his preference would be for an AC router, so I immediately thought he should get the RT-AC68U. However, prices here in the UK are still very high for the RT-AC68U. I started having a look at other routers and the prices are:
RT-AC68U - £170
RT-AC66U - £160
RT-N66U - £118
RT-AC56U - £100

It's the price of the RT-AC56U which got my attention. I'm really surprised to see that it's cheaper than even the RT-N66U. Looking at the specs it seems it shares a lot of the internals of the top-end AC68, the only difference being the internal antennas.

I think it's worth him getting the RT-AC56U as his AC laptop doesn't have a card which can make the most of the 3x3 antennas in the AC68, and he'll save quite a bit of money.

He lives in an average size 3 bedroom home, so I don't know if he'll see a drop-off in range compared to the RT-N66U.

Thoughts/suggestions?

I suggest not paying the premium price for an 'AC router unless you just want to tinker. Of course, you need 'AC client devices.

 

[sfx2000]

Hi All,

A friend of mine wants to replace his broken RT-N66U router.

I sense the "need for speed" here - how did it break?

Likely suspect here is the wall-wart/AC Adapter may have died or gone soft (many of them do for routers that just up and die) - the N66U seems to be a good device otherwise...

Replace the AC Adapter first perhaps...